Of course Liu Xixun found it difficult.
Although he was selected as the next clan leader by the former Weiyuan Marquis Weiyuan when he was young, his background and the abundant heirs under the old Weiyuan Marquis put great pressure on him. Later, the old Weiyuan Marquis died suddenly, and he had to fight with his successor Weiyuan Marquis Liu Bozhao for several years before he barely regained the position of the clan leader.
In the meantime, he had to join forces with Liu Ruowo, the old enemy of Weiyuan Marquis and the grandson of former Wei Taiwei Liu Sihuai.
Therefore, after Liu Xixun won, Liu Ruowo also gained a high status.
But at the beginning, Liu Sihuai was able to compete with the old Marquis Weiyuan on the same court, only because of the power of the court. Liu Xixun believed that he had learned the lesson of the old Weiyuan Marquis and did not give Liu Ruowo a chance to gain personal connections in the court. He could slowly suppress Liu Ruowo without threatening his own position.
However, Liu Ruowo's contribution to the rescue was actually awarded the title of knight ahead of Liu Xixun!
Still the Duke!
Although Wen Yaozi generously offered royal titles to reward the heroes, Liu Xixun knew very well that because he was the leader of the Liu family, even if he conquered the entire southwest, he would not be able to be crowned king!
Besides, he wants to conquer the entire Southwest, let’s not talk about whether he has the ability to do so. Now when all the civil and military officials in the dynasty have their eyes fixed on the Southwest, he just has the ability and dares to think like this! Maybe before the Southwest can be attacked, they will be tricked to death by one of their own!
In other words, if Liu Xixun were to be knighted, the highest level would be on par with Liu Ruowo. Although Liu Sihuai was a first-class official back then, the position of Taiwei was not as stable as the title of knight. This gave Old Marquis Weiyuan a headache! Now Liu Ruowo has been granted the title of Duke first - this has directly shaken Liu Xixun's position as the leader of the family!
"But why did he marry our family? Our family's situation is not very good now. Liu Rong is as guarded against us as a thief." Wei Changying said with a frown.
Shen Zangfeng said: "There are foreign tribes in the northern and western regions who are watching eagerly. The imperial court has not stopped using troops in the southwest. If there is another trouble in the north and the west, do you think your majesty will be worried?"
"Is this a reminder to Your Majesty that after the marriage between Shen and Liu, the two families will be in trouble, and the north and west will not be peaceful?" Wei Changying breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I understand that after the imperial court has conquered the southwest, it will not be able to do so. Continue to attack the north and the west!"
"On one side, maybe there are still people who want to give it a try. Di Rong's accomplice..." Shen Zangfeng shook his head and did not continue to elaborate on the situation. He only said, "You can prepare a betrothal gift for Shu Ming." He added, "Jing Jing If my son is dissatisfied with Shu Ming's wife, just say that this marriage is my decision."
Wei Changying said: "Jing'er has always been very sensible. Besides, Liu Bing'er has a pretty face. Even if her temperament is a bit indulgent, who doesn't have a bad temper as a daughter at home? As a married woman, you will naturally know how to restrain yourself. "
"That's not necessarily true." Shen Zangfeng said immediately, "Before we got married, I heard my mother tell me about you - how gentle, virtuous, considerate, considerate and virtuous... What about you after we get married? Just pinch me if you're happy. If you're not happy, beat me up! What kind of restraint is this? I think you are restrained when you are in the boudoir, but when you enter the Shen family, you are punishing me every day!"
Wei Changying decisively stepped on his instep, grabbed his ears, twisted them hard, and asked viciously: "What did you say?!"
"...Yinger, you are gentle, virtuous, considerate, considerate, and virtuous!" Shen Zangfeng quickly replied, "I don't think there is anyone in this world who is more gentle, virtuous, considerate, considerate, and virtuous than you. ! I am so lucky to have such a wonderful wife like you! !
"Do you know you're wrong?" Guard Chief Ying looked at him sideways.
Shen Zangfeng kept a low profile and said, "I know, I know! My husband made a huge mistake, and he made a huge mistake. It was so full of mistakes that you can't even look at them!"
"Then don't go back to your room tonight, practice calligraphy in the study all night, and copy the wrong words for me eight hundred times!" Wei Changying shouted!
Shen Zangfeng was waiting for an answer when a cough came from outside the door. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said flatteringly: "Yinger, look, someone seems to be here?"
"I'll settle the score with you later!" Wei Changying pinched his ear and whispered, then let go and straightened his clothes.
After a while, Shen Shuguang came in with a strange expression and said: "The child was passing by the side room and seemed to hear his sister crying. The wet nurse was not able to comfort her."
"Hurry up and ask the wet nurse to bring the baby over!" Wei Changying said hurriedly, but he didn't notice that her husband secretly wiped away the cold sweat and gave an approving look to the eldest son...
The fight between the couple before was just covered up.
The next day, Chief Wei Ying politely declined the young ladies he had favored, packed up a generous gift, and invited Su Yuli to go to the Liu family to propose the marriage. Liu Xixun and Shen Zangfeng had already made an agreement in private, and Liu Bing'er's parents naturally had no objections. Both parties praised each other's children, and the marriage was arranged in a harmonious atmosphere.
Because Shen Shuming is not young anymore and Liu Bing'er is also sixteen, Wei Changying and Shen Zangfeng discussed it and decided to get engaged immediately and marry Liu Bing'er in autumn - of course, before that, Shen Shuming had to come to the imperial capital first.
Originally, Shen Shuming returned to Xiliang from the Mengshan Jade Mine because of marriage. She had planned to let him get married in Xiliang - at that time, every family had private soldiers. If the world was not too chaotic, even aristocratic families would give him a gift. It's no problem for you. Now the world's troops are divided into four parts. Without the Xiliang Army and the East Hu Army, it will be difficult to use the army again without an imperial edict.
Not to mention that the Southwest War still doesn’t know when it will end? The war was raging in the front, but troops and horses were mobilized in the rear to see the bride off. Now that Wei Mo was not corrupt, doing so was unreasonable.
Therefore, for the sake of safety, it is more convenient for Shen Shuming to come to the imperial capital to get married.
In this way, his ten years of punishment will be forgotten by everyone...
Shen Shujing was naturally very happy when he found out about this, and even said that he would teach Shen Shuming a lesson when he came.
Wei Changying laughed it off, but he called Shen Shuguang to him and told him about it - Shen Shuguang almost killed Shen Shuming back then! Even if Shen Shuguang is doing it for his brother. Now that the eldest cousin is coming, Wei Changying is worried that his eldest son will feel uncomfortable when the brothers meet.
But obviously she underestimated Shen Shuguang. When she learned that Shen Shuming was coming, Shen Shuguang asked calmly: "Do you want the child to go out of the city to welcome him?"
"He is the eldest brother of your generation. Normally, you should greet him, but..." Wei Changying pondered, not knowing how to ask his son.
However, Shen Shuguang said considerately: "Although I was forced to offend my cousin a lot due to the situation, my cousin has always loved the child, and I don't care about it for so long. When the time comes, the child will just make amends to the cousin. "
"To put it bluntly, your cousin has been very decadent in the Mengshan Jade Mine in the past two years. I'm afraid his mind is narrow." Wei Changying reminded.
She was not afraid of Shen Shuming, but she was worried that if her eldest son had trouble with his cousin, it would bring bad reputation to his eldest son.
Shen Shuguang responded with a smile: "My child must remember his mother's instructions!"
In this grievance between the juniors, not only did the guard chief Ying Shangxin, but Shen Liankun also called his nephew to him: "Shu Ming is coming over. What are you going to do about what happened to your brother before?"
"It was my nephew's fault back then. It's a pity that after so many years, my nephew couldn't apologize to my eldest brother." Shen Shuguang said nonchalantly, "This time my nephew plans to go out of Baili to apologize to his eldest brother and strive for peace with him. Enter the imperial capital in harmony."
Shen Liankun looked at him for a moment and sighed: "Then I have nothing to say." He heard the meaning of Shen Shuguang's words: Welcome out of Baili, which means that after receiving Shen Shuming, he may not be able to return to the imperial capital that day. , it will take at least two or three days - in these two or three days, even if Shen Shuming still can't forgive him, but the sincerity of being a younger brother to welcome Baili - will enter the imperial capital. As long as Shen Shuming is not completely confused, that is He would definitely not look down on Shen Shuguang in front of others.
With the scene of the brothers entering the city in harmony... It was okay for Shen Shuguang to be too lazy to care about his eldest brother in private.
From Shen Liankun's point of view, he certainly hopes that his nephews can work together instead of plotting against each other.
However, when Shen Shuguang did this, although he seemed a bit cold and not a pure-hearted cousin, it was very consistent with his status as a young clan leader.
A person who is in charge of a behemoth like the Shen family in Xiliang is destined to be impossible to be simple.
"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye." Shen Liankun watched his nephew retire. This day was a rare sunny day in winter. The warm sunshine shone on Shen Shuguang. From the eyes of his uncle who was sitting high in the hall, he could see his nephew's face. The whole body seemed to be plated with a layer of gold, which outlined the young man who was gradually growing into an adult in a sacred and beautiful way.
Having a pair of parents who are famous among the nobles for their outstanding appearance. Whether it is Shen Shuguang when he was young or Shen Shuguang at this moment, he has an appearance and demeanor worthy of such divine beauty.
But Shen Liankun knew that after all these years and the changes of the years, Shen Shuguang had as many shadows as there were palaces in his heart at this moment.
He missed the time when he was only a few weeks old, when his nephew, who was like a snowball, was held in the arms of his aunt, Mrs. Su, with his big black eyes open, so curious and defenseless and innocent.
But he knew that for the Xiliang Shen family, Shen Shuguang was what the family needed right now.
"He doesn't look like Third Brother back then." Shen Shuguang's figure has been blocked by the pine trees in the courtyard and cannot be seen. Shen Liankun's emotion has not stopped, "But it's not surprising. Third Brother is at his age. He has not suffered any blow yet, but he witnessed the fall of the imperial capital and watched his biological grandfather, uncle, and cousin die before his eyes."
"Another generation has risen. Their hair on the temples is not white, and their hearts are not old. But when I see my nephew who I can call dear, I always feel that I am old." Shen Lengkun stroked the scar on his face - because of this scar, he will not be able to He became an official, but compared to his younger brothers and cousins who even lost their lives in the rebel army, he was extremely lucky.
"I hope that the sufferings of their generation are over and there will be no more setbacks in the future!"
At about the same time, in the study, Shen Zangfeng was looking at the snow on the Pingting maple trees outside the window - those planted by Shen Xuan himself had been burned to the ground along with the former Wei Taifu's mansion in the war.
He planted this batch specially, according to the number of his brothers, and according to the number of his sons and nephews.
"What happened to my son when he was young is enough to make ordinary people grief-stricken. Although it is said that jade cannot be used if it is not polished, but too much polishing will also damage the quality of the jade... It is better for me to worry about it more and eliminate more worries for them in the future!" He Suddenly he looked away, took out a piece of apricot blossom paper from the desk, and started writing quickly! (To be continued)